**
In a cold and gloomy atmosphere. Hundreds of humans were huddled on the snow-covered floor of a wide and almost empty warehouse. A lot of them were focused on eating the grey sludge of food out of a small bowl.
Families huddled together around just one bowl, sometimes others got lucky and had two. They all were given sufficient amounts of the small cups of water though. Not that it was any consolation.
Currently, Jason and Leo were seated on the floor against the cold metal wall of the warehouse. The space of this place was very large, enough so that hundreds of people could fit inside and still make it look big.
On the other side of the warehouse, were ditches where people would go and use the bathroom. No privacy, of course, the dragons didn't care. They were, however, kind enough to provide enough toilet paper rolls behind those ditches that stacked up into a mini hill in a corner of the warehouse.
Whenever this pile ran out, a dragon would come in and resupply it using their magic, which seemingly created rolls of toilet paper out of air. How "nice" of them. The smell of the ditches would be burned out by their fire breath every once in a while. It seemed that this rare service was only done because the dragons did not like the lingering stench.
Little Leo sat huddled next to Jason against a wall, currently, his mother and father were using the "bathrooms" if you could even call them that. Families would usually stand with their backs to the person who was going so as to create a human block from view.
Others who were imprisoned without families were less fortunate and forced to go more in the open, not that anyone cared in this place to look. But it was still uncomfortable nonetheless.
Leo's father was currently blocking the view for their mother to go. While Jason was told to stay behind to take care of Leo until they were done. It was better this way, because the two brothers were able to go and grab an extra bowl of food for their family in the meantime.
It was common knowledge that there was not an endless supply of food whenever it was provided. And if you weren't fast enough, you could miss the opportunity to grab a bowl for yourself.
"Here, eat the rest."
Jason said, handing a bowl of "food" to Leo, who took it in his hands and looked at the grey sludge. The bowl was almost still full, and it looked like Jason barely ate half.
"But this is too much, what about you? You didn't even eat-"
"Just eat it before I change my mind buddy."
Leo sighed as he listened to his older brother and began eating. However, at that moment, a stranger's voice called out to them.
"If the kid won't finish that, then can I have it please..?"
An older, rough looking man with dirty clothes said as he walked up to them. Jason immediately frowned as he spoke up.
"Shut up, go away, bother someone else."
The man didn't back down though after that and instead picked up the pace.
"What? Aren't we all in the same situation here? Why not help a human out…"
He said with a mock smile, but in the man's eyes there was hollowness and hunger. They could tell that he was willing to do anything to get a bowl of food. So he continued walking towards Leo.
"I'm fucking warning you man!"
Jason said angrily as he stood up now, facing him. The man put his hands up feigning weakness as he nodded.
"Okay… y-you got it man…"
He was about to turn away, but in the corner of his eye, he spotted the second bowl, placed on the floor peaking out behind Leo. This bowl was meant for their parents.
The man suddenly scowled.
"Motherfuckers! Sneaking extra bowls of food when there's only the two of you!?"
He then suddenly dashed past Jason and went to grab Leo, who was paralyzed with fatigue, shock, and fear.
'H-He's gonna get me-'
But before he could finish that thought, Jason wrapped his arms around the man's waist from behind and lifted him up slamming him into the cold snowy floor. The two engaged in a heavy brawl in the snow.
Echoes of grunts and fighting could be heard in the once silent warehouse. People glanced over tiredly, before dismissing the situation. Fighting over food was a common occurrence it seemed.
"Fuck you! Fuck you!"
Jason shouted as he got the upper hand on the ground and was now pounding the man all over with his fist. And even though his words and actions were harsh, his voice still broke amidst his shouts and tears were running down his face. He kept punching though, over and over no matter how much the man struggled.
Before Jason could keep going though, his parents returned to break it up. His father pulled Jason off and chased the beaten man away. While little Leo was still seated on the floor, watching the scene silently with an expression of shock and fear.
Once it was finally over though, little Leo was relieved. Even though his body never stopped silently shivering. He looked down at the half filled bowl of food in his hands, and the bowl that was hidden behind him.
Even now, as his stomach growled in hunger, he realized that his appetite was gone.
**
Back in the orphanage dining hall, as kids were lively discussing a random topic, Cain just finished his second bowl of food. Tears were streaming down his face again as he remembered the things that he and his family had gone through in that hell. Turning to Rowan now, he lightly tugged on his shirt.
"If you're not gonna finish that, can I have it please?"
Cain said while wiping his tears. Rowan stopped talking and turned to him, surprised to see that his brother was still crying.
"Oh.. y-yeah, you okay though?"
He said a little worried upon remembering Cain's abnormal state.
To which Selene chimed in.
"Wait, didn't this whole conversation start because we asked you what was wrong?"
Cain shrugged lightly while taking Rowan's half eaten bowl of food.
"I had a nightmare, and right now… I'm just really hungry, okay?"
He said softly, his tone sounded tired and weak, still wiping the last remaining tears. Selene sighed with a nod and decided not to pry, she felt a little sad seeing him like this.
"No it started because Lyra called me a liar!"
Goose suddenly said as he flicked a grain of rice at Lyra across the table. Who groaned angrily and started yelling at him again. The table then exploded into conversation again, while Cain focused on his third bowl of food. However, right before he was about to start digging in, Elijah got up from his seat, rushed over to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Hold on you already had two bowls, let me get-"
Before Elijah could finish speaking though, Cain suddenly grabbed him by the shirt and stood up. Turning him around and slamming him onto the table. There was a crazy, almost hollow look in his eyes.
"It's mine!"
He shouted, tears streaming down his face again. Everyone at the table, and the other table as well. Looked over in silent shock, Miss Maevis glanced up from her book with a heavy expression and sighed.
Elijah also had a frightened expression on his face, not expecting such a strong reaction from Cain.
"If he's not here, then I'll just have to protect the food myself!"
Cain shouted angrily with tears streaming down his face.
"I'll do it! You think I can't!?"
He said as he continued to tighten his hold on Elijah, who, after recovering from his initial shock, suddenly became angry as well for being slammed into the table like this.
"Get off me! What the hell!?"
He said, grabbing Cain's wrist as he tried pushing him off.
"What are you doing man!?"
Rowan said as he came up from behind trying to pull Cain off. Goose and Lyra also joined in trying to pull him off. Selene just watched silently in her seat with a shocked and frightened expression. Nobody had ever expected something like this to happen after all.
However, before things went any further, Miss Maevis came up from behind, yanked Cain off of Elijah, and threw him over her shoulder. Knocking the wind out of him in the process.
"Let's go crazy kid, you're coming with me today."
She said solemnly with another sigh, Cain was coughing over on her back trying to catch his breath.
Miss Maevis turned to the other table, where Gabriel, Sora, Peter, Jonah, Ibra, and Isaac were seated.
"Gabriel, I'll be out today, you're in charge. And if I find out you skipped training, you'll get whooped, you already know the deal."
She said dismissively while leaving the dining hall. Once she was gone, the hall was silent for a while, nobody knew what to say. Sure, there were fights among them from time to time, but never something so… serious.
Before the silence became unbearable though, Gabriel, one of the eldest, suddenly spoke up.
"Well, uh… you heard her. After this we'll head to the training hall like usual."
Everyone slowly nodded, turning their heads back to finish the rest of their food in silence.
However, most of them realized that they had lost their appetites.